Shoe tread



J. E. MASTERS.

suoz mm.

APPLICATIUI FILED OCT. L192!- 1,433,902. Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

1702267 @150 77 $707025. Masters.

Patented on. at, rear.

rare

SHOE TBEAD.

Application filed October 1, 1921. Serial No. 504,570.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Jenn E. Masriins, acitizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Shoe Treads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe treads.

It is a well known fact that the treads of shoes generally wear at someparticular location thereon much more than at others, and inrepairingsaid shoes it is necessary, especially in the case of rubber heels, tothrow away the entire heel when only a small portion thereof hasactually been used. The result is a waste of much valuable material,while the fact that the shoes must be repaired involves considerableexpense and inconvenience on account of the necessary delay that usuallyoccurs while the repairs are being consummated.

The object of the invention is to provide the tread. portion of a shoe,and particularly the heel thereof, with removable cushions which, uponbecoming worn, may either be replaced at small expense by new cushions,or said cushions may be interchanged in a manner to distribute the wearso that a greater portion of the material of which they are constructedmaybe utilized.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a simple structure inwhich the cushions may be inserted and removed at will. whenreplacements are necessary and which may be easily attached to anddetached from the body of the heel by the wearer without requiring theservices of a professional shoe maker, and therebyavoidinginconveniences and delay.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts setforth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in theclaims thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a heel embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of 1.

Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view f the heel.

Fig. 4 is an end'elevation of a portion of the heel as taken on the linell of Fig. 1, the end plate having been removed.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings.

In the drawings, 5 represents the main body portion of a heel which maybe con struoted of any suitable relatively hard material, as, forexample, metal, wood, leather, hard rubber or any of the manufacturedmaterials resembling rubber and embodying the properties thereof. Themain body portion 5 of the heel may be secured to the main body portionof a shoe by nails which pass through holes 6, or in any other mannerwell known to those skilled in the art. A metal plate 7 provided with abeveled edge 8 is located in a recess 9 provided in the under surface ofthe body 5 in which it is inserted from the front edge thereof, and whensaid plate is in position within said body, the beveled edge 8 thereofengages a correspondingly beveled portion 10 provided upon said heel.The plate 7 is provided with a plurality of similar openings 11 formedtherein in which are mounted removable cushions 12. A plurality of otheropenings 13 also similar are also provided in the plate '7 in whichremovable cushions 1d are mounted. The cushions 12 and 14- arepreferably constructed of rubber or any other suitable resilientmaterial embodying the properties of rubber, or if especially hard usageis anticipateththeymay be constructed of a suitable metal, and may beprovided with a suitable anti-slipping tread surface for use winter whenthe ground is covered with ice. The cushions 12 and let are beveled at15 to fit correspondingly beveled edges of the openings 11 and 13respectively and are inserted within said openings from the upperside ofthe plate 7 when said plate is removed from the body 5 of the heel. Thecushions 12 are interchangeable with each other as are also the cushions14.

The plate 7 is held in position within the recess 9 by a locking member16 slidably mounted in a recess 17 located at the front of the body 5 ofthe heel and a spring 18 also located in said recess 17 normally holdssaid member in the position illustrated in Figures 2 and l, said membersresting in a recess 19 formed in the plate 7 and projecting in front ofa shoulder 20 formed upon said plate 7 by said recess 19. An end plate21 secured to the body portion of the heel in any desired manner holdsthe locking member 16 in position within the recess 17.

If, when the user of a heel constructed as herewith illustrated anddescribed, walks in such a manner that a greater portion of the wearfalls upon but one of the cushions 12, said cushion may be interchangedand the worn cushion replaced by the cushion which is only slightlyworn, or if the rear portion only of both of the cushions 12 have becomeworn while the forward portion of said cushions has only been slightlyworn, said cushions may be interchanged and the portion of each memberwhich formerly constituted the forward portion is then located at therear. In like manner if one of the cushions 14: becomes partly worn atone side thereof while the other cushion 141.- is only slightly worn,the badly worn cushion 14 may either be removed and reinserted topresent the inner portion thereof at the side of the heel, or saidcushions may be interchanged. In this manner it is seen that a greaterportion of each cushion may eventually be utilized before it isnecessary to entirely, discard a cushion and replace the same with anewone, and it may be possible to replace the cushions 12 several timesbefore it is necessary to replace the cushions 14:. The replacing of thecushions may easily be accomplished by the wearer by simply forcing thelocking member 1.6 upwardly from in front of the shoulder 20 of theplate '7 and then sliding said plate forwardly out of the recess 9. Thecushions are then removed by forcing them upwardly out of theirrespective openings and others are inserted in their places as required.t is evident that any form'of spring maybe employedin place of thespring 18 if it is so desired. It is also evident that any number ofcushions may be employed and said cushions may be of any size and of anyshape desired as they may be provided with circular, rectangular,triangular or diamond shaped tread surfaces without departing from thespirit of this invention. It is also evident that the sole portion of ashoe may also be provided with a tread surface embodying the features ofthis invention, the same falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A shoe tread comprising a .main body portion, a plate havin slidingengagement with said body portion, a plurality of removable cushionsmounted within said plate and a locking member slidably mounted in saidbody portion and engaging said plate to prevent the removal of thelatter from said body portion.

2. a shoe tread comprising a main body portion, a plate having slidingengagement with said body portion and provided with a recess formedtherein, a plurality of removable cushions mounted. within said plateand a locking member slidably mounted in said body portion andprojecting into the recess in said plate to prevent tie removal of thelatter from said body portion.

3. A shoe tread comprisinga main body portion, a plate adapted to slideinto interlocking engagement with said body portion, said plate beingprovided with a plurality of openings formed therein having bevelededges, a plurality of interchangeable cushions provided with beveledportions adapted to fit said openings and a locking member slidablymounted in said body portion and engaging said plate to prevent theremoval of the latter from said body portion.

i. A shoe tread comprising a main body portion, a plate adapted to slideinto interlocking engagement with said body portion, said plate beingprovided with a plurality of openings formed therein having bevelededges, said plate also being provided with a recess formed therein, aplurality of interchangeable cushions provided with beveled portionsadapted to fit said openings, a locking member slidably mounted insaidbody portion and a spring adapted to force said locking member into therecess in said plate and thereby prevent the removal of said plate fromsaid body portion.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. MASTERS.

Witnesses:

HERBERT SPEAK, FRANK B. OAKES.

